Aim, Shoot, Kill – XG Blast! Review

My infatuation with gaming is only rivaled by my passion for video game shopping. Many a lunch hour or idle Saturday has been spent scouring clearance bins for obscure Japanese or European titles. Admittedly, the ratio of drivel  to diamonds is often high, yet the sporadic unearthing of a raw gem such as Sheppard’s Crossing or Ribbit King has made the expeditions worthwhile.

With a twenty dollar price point and a strangely unsophisticated cover, recent release XG Blast! will surely be relegated to containers filled with disregarded copies of World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars and Mercury Meltdown: Revolution. However, the title’s simple, yet immersive shooting action is a cut above its bargain-bin brethren. Personally, I found the game’s Geometry Wars-inspired gameplay to be an idyllic adrenaline booster between Dragon Quest IX ‘s missions. Those seeking a transitory time-waster on their daily commute will also appreciate XG Blast!‘s charms.

Like many contemporary games which draw inspiration from the golden age of arcade gaming, the title’s impetus can be succulently explained: “Control the ship Aknathen and defeat all alien creatures.” Within seconds of starting the game for the first time, a player’s instincts will emerge, and XG Blast!‘s abstractions transform into unmistakably identifiable objects. Geometric enemies distinguish themselves from quadrilateral gems, while gamers discern the difference between each of the six color-codes weapons. Minutes later, the cartridge will initiate a blink-less state of entrenched concentration, the hallmark of any competent action game.

Players maneuver their ship around each playfield using the direction pad, while two options exist for controlling firing direction. Although using the stylus to aim at foes might seem like the more intuitive selection, using the ABXY buttons is a practical alternative. While this secondary method makes diagonal shots a bit cumbersome (requiring gamers to hold down two buttons), I found myself strafing more, while sticking to the easier, cardinal firing sectors. The game’s one interesting nuance is the use of dwindling energy level, which compels players to eliminate swarms of aliens as quickly as possible. Vanquishing foes also leaves behind colorful gems, which are used to power the game’s eponymous weapon- a powerful ray which annihilates encroaching enemies.

The game’s Discovery Mode presents a succession of arenas which are slightly larger than the screen.  Upon the eradication of all adversaries, players will choose their next destination along a branching pathway, with each zone concluded by a challenging boss. Successfully completely each stage unlocks the level for Survival Mode, which offers the ability to play for a limitless score attack. Additionally, two multiplayer modes are available- a two-player cooperative game within a single zone and a four player deathmatch competition. Sadly, each of the multiplayer matches require each participant to have a separate DS and their own copy of the game; no condensed DS Download options exist.

XG Blast!‘s other misstep is the lack of variety between stages. While levels present different formations of foes, each with a distinctive attack pattern, variety isn’t the title’s forte. The game’s bosses help reduce some of the tedium, but a larger roster of opponents would have also helped. Little criticism can be leveled at XG‘s graphical delivery. Using a vector-graphics inspired motif, the title can put a multitude of foes on-screen, without the slightest indication of slowdown. With an arsenal of weapons which leave multihued trails of light and a near-constant cascade of explosions, XG Blast! visuals look best in darkened environments.

Along with the DS iteration of Geometry Wars: Galaxies, XG Blast! is a capable portable shooter which deserves consideration by any action-game aficionado. Ignore the game’s lackluster box art, and minimal marketing efforts- this is one of those exceptional minor titles which rivals the efforts from major publishers.  Hopefully, enough gamers will take notice of XG Blast! to warrant a 3DS sequel.